Animal Welfare Groups Call for Probe Into Elephant Firecracker Incident
Animal welfare groups have called for an investigation after a volunteer allegedly threw a firecracker at Plai Salika, a wild elephant at Khao Yai National Park, sparking online outcry. The organizations are also urging stronger legal prote
The Thailand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TSPCA) and the Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation, together with partner organisations, have called for an investigation into an incident in which a volunteer allegedly threw a firecracker at Plai Salika, a well-known wild elephant at Khao Yai National Park.
The move follows widespread criticism on social media after footage of the incident circulated online.
On 20 July 2026, the organisations submitted a letter to the chairman of the Animal Cruelty Prevention and Animal Welfare Committee, who is also the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, requesting an official investigation.
In the letter, the groups urged authorities to establish the facts surrounding the incident and take action in accordance with relevant laws. They also called on the government to accelerate amendments to expand legal protections for animals living in the wild under Thailand's Animal Cruelty Prevention and Animal Welfare Act B.E. 2557 (2014).
The organisations said the proposed changes should cover wildlife that frequently comes into contact with people, as well as other wild animals and imported species that are vulnerable to cruelty. They argued that broadening the legal definition of protected wild animals under the Act would strengthen safeguards against animal abuse and improve animal welfare.
The incident involving Plai Salika, one of Khao Yai National Park's best-known wild elephants, has prompted widespread public debate over the treatment of wildlife and the need for stronger legal protection.
